Callmegetrix (closest) helped Vercingetorix extend his big lead in the national sires championship (he is now just short of R5 million in front). (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
Callmegetrix was all heart as she rallied bravely over the final 100m to deny the well-backed Goodnessgraciousme by a head in Saturday’s R180 000 Clapham Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. Callmegetrix was allowed to drift to 7/2 in the face of strong on-course demand for Goodnessgraciousme who shortened from 33/10 into 11/10 and then did everything but win.
Callmegetrix took up the running shortly after the start and was still travelling well within herself at the top of the straight. Goodgraciousme was tracking her every move and when Richard Fourie pressed the button halfway up the stretch, the 3yo daughter of Gimmethegreenlight quickened smartly and victory seemed assured. Goodnessgraciousme moved a length clear of her market rival at the 300m pole, but Callmegetrix was not done for yet, and Candice Bass-Robinson’s 4yo daughter of Vercingetorix responded well to JP van der Merwe’s powerful urgings, rallying strongly to reclaim the advantage in the shadow of the post.
Owned and bred by Mario Ferreira, Callmegetrix registered her fourth career victory on Saturday and boosted her earnings to above the R500 000 mark. She has been a model of consistency throughout her career and from 15 racetrack appearances has yet to miss the money in any of her starts. In her post-race interview Bass-Robinson was full of praise for Callmegetrix and expressed the hope that she could yet earn some pedigree boosting black-type before being retired to the paddocks.
Having only her fifth lifetime start, Goodnessgraciousme was far from disgraced in defeat and Justin Snaith has high hopes for her going forward. She is likely to reappear in a 3yo Fillies Feature on Derby Day towards the end of this month and is one for the notebook. My Flower Fate stayed on nicely from the rear of the field to complete the Trifecta with Fun Zone making up the frame.
Saturday’s Pick 6 dividend of R3934-80 is clear evidence that punters enjoyed the better of exchanges at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, despite a rocky start. Wild Applause (1/3) was expected to take the opener in her stride under Louis Burke in the Work Riders’ Maiden Plate over 1100m, but she was always labouring and could no better than finish a remote third behind Indebe Mayibuye (20/1) and the fast-finishing Blue Ribbon Day (33/1).
Ossie Noach picked up the ride for Vaughan Marshall on the newcomer Ireland Forever in the second race, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m, and the 2yo son of Rafeef justified his position at the top of the betting boards with a fluent victory over Cliffscape. The well related Indigenous blew the start and was very green in running, but was only two lengths in arrears of the winner at the line and is likely to improve significantly with this run under his belt.
Scottish Links (14/10) was all the rage in the third race, an Open Maiden over 1400m, and under a copybook ride from Louis Mxothwa, the 3yo gelded son of What A Winter shed his maiden ticket in some style at the fifth time of asking. Dricus showed good improvement in his first start as a gelding to fill the runner-up berth and is one to keep an eye on.
After losing out on Ireland Forever in the second race, Sean Veale arrived at the course on time for his engagement in the fourth race, an Open Maiden (F&M) over 1200m. Riding Happy Wives (9/4) for Hollywood Racing, Veale immediately took the daughter of Canford Cliffs to the lead and the pair were never headed. Beneath The Clouds (9/2) chased hard over the final 200m but Happy Wives had more than a length to spare at the line. Sugarbush (5/2) had shown promise on her debut last month but failed to fire on Saturday and was beaten out of the frame.
The fifth race, a D Stakes over 1200m, produced a thrilling finish with ever consistent Electric Feels (3/1) just holding out True Horizon (7/2) by a nose. Gravity (9/4) and Lovers Lane (16/1) completed the Quartet with only half-a-length covering them at the winning post.
The Harold Crawford/Michelle Rix training team completed a quick race-to-race double when Elusive Winter (28/10) kept up a resolute gallop to take top honours in the sixth race, a Cape B Stakes over 1000m. Porque Te Vas tried to match strides with Elusive Winter from the jump but she ran out of puff close home and it was left to Blue Holly (10/1) to chase Elusive Winter home. Following the scratching of The Abdicator, Kelp Forest was sent out a warm order favourite but he never posed a threat and trailed in a distant fourth.
Race 8, a Cape D Stakes over 1600m, yielded another very exciting finish between two long-time maidens Golden Grey and Cosmic Rhythm. The pair locked horns at the 200m pole and the result was in the balance until the very last stride, but Cosmic Rhythm put his nose down where it matters most to give Ossie Noach a welcome double for the day.
Unheralded Craig Bantam gets a lovely tune out of the Adam Marcus-trained Dream Searcher (11/2) and the 4yo daughter of Erupt made it back-to-back wins in the ninth race, a Class 5 Handicap (F&M) over 1400m. From a good position turning for home, Dream Searcher took control of the race approaching the final 200m and stretched away to win full of running. Vivo Per Lei stayed on for second and she could open her account in similarly weak company in the not-too-distant future.
